GM Prices 2011 Opel Ampera (Europe's Volt) at $58,770, Starts Taking Reservations
By Scott Doggett November 11, 2010
We were surprised when General Motors announced that the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid would carry a base price of $41,000, believing it to be on the high side, so we are more than a little surprised when General Motors announced today that essentially the same model sold as an Opel Ampera in Europe will start at $58,770 in the Old World.
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Right, the 2011 Opel Ampera.
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Right, the 2011 Opel Ampera.
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GM also announced that starting today Opel is taking reservations for the five-door four-seater.
Perhaps expecting that the starting price would raise an eyebrow or two, GM included the following paragraph near the top of the statement it published today regarding the Ampera's price:
"Some competitors choose to split their offers for electric cars into two portions: a base price for the car and a leasing rate for the battery pack. This does make the price appear attractive because the battery leasing rate is not highlighted. However, battery leases are paid monthly for several years, so the total cost is roughly the same as a car whose total price includes both the car and the battery. Opel's pricing scheme eliminates confusion by listing the total cost of the car and battery. Opel is also researching customer preferences regarding financing and leasing schemes for the Ampera. The company will announce these options later."
We hate to keep correcting GM, but the Volt and the Ampera are plug-in hybrids. They are not electric vehicles, which rely purely on electricity for propulsion and produce zero tailpipe emissions. But the hybrid also does not suffer the major drawback of an EV, which is that when an electric vehicle has depleted its battery, it has no fuel to propel it. It is simply out of "gas" - granted, not the best word choice - until it's recharged.
The same is not true with GM's multi-named hybrid. On a full charge, it can be expected to go 25 to 40 or more miles on electricity alone, after which a small onboard gasoline generator will power up and provide an additional 300 or so miles of driving range before requiring more electricity, gasoline or both.
Perhaps expecting that the starting price would raise an eyebrow or two, GM included the following paragraph near the top of the statement it published today regarding the Ampera's price:
"Some competitors choose to split their offers for electric cars into two portions: a base price for the car and a leasing rate for the battery pack. This does make the price appear attractive because the battery leasing rate is not highlighted. However, battery leases are paid monthly for several years, so the total cost is roughly the same as a car whose total price includes both the car and the battery. Opel's pricing scheme eliminates confusion by listing the total cost of the car and battery. Opel is also researching customer preferences regarding financing and leasing schemes for the Ampera. The company will announce these options later."
We hate to keep correcting GM, but the Volt and the Ampera are plug-in hybrids. They are not electric vehicles, which rely purely on electricity for propulsion and produce zero tailpipe emissions. But the hybrid also does not suffer the major drawback of an EV, which is that when an electric vehicle has depleted its battery, it has no fuel to propel it. It is simply out of "gas" - granted, not the best word choice - until it's recharged.
The same is not true with GM's multi-named hybrid. On a full charge, it can be expected to go 25 to 40 or more miles on electricity alone, after which a small onboard gasoline generator will power up and provide an additional 300 or so miles of driving range before requiring more electricity, gasoline or both.
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